Whilst researching ingredients for other sport related products, the sport scientists from Science in Sport discovered two functional ingredients one a brain nutrient, the other a liver nutrient. Hedstart combines the re-hydrating properties of the sports drink, with these brain and liver nutrients, and balances the well documented increased need for certain micronutrients caused by alcohol consumption. Hedstart addresses the particular nutrition requirements naturally brought on by alcohol consumption Hedstart does not treat or cure a disease. We do not have enough medical evidence to market Hedstart as a hangover cure, here are the ingredients....   Phosphatidylcholine and Phosphatidylserine Phosphatidylcholine is the major cell membrane building block it is essential for the structural integrity and functionality of all cell membranes. Phosphatidylserine is a useful dietary supplement for memory, learning, concentration, and behaviour (including negative mood and coping with stress). Crook and colleagues showed that phosphatidylserine can reverse the effects of ageing on then brain in terms of learning and recall. The Sulphur Amino Acids Cystein has its most important role in the liver where according to Braverman and colleagues it, "…helps the small but ubiquitous protein glutathione to detoxify carcinogens and other dangerous chemicals, and in all the rest of the cells of the body, where it serves as the major scavenger of hazardous oxidants." Cystein is the major amino acid which determines how much glutathione is produced by the body. Glutathione is arguably the most important water soluble anti-oxidant and de-toxifying agent. (Braverman et al 1997) Taurine protects cell membranes by attenuating toxic substances and/or acting as an osmoregulator (Young and El-Khoury pg214) Methionine is an essential sulfur containing amino acid. It is thus useful in neutralising the toxin acetaldehyde and is another precursor to the anti-oxidant glutathione. Glutamine "It has been conclusively demonstrated that supplementation with glutamine improves nitrogen balance, enhances the rate of protein synthesis, supports immune cells, and maintains integrity of the mucosa" Furst and Stehl. Glutamine – conditionally essential in various catabolic states, glutamine facilitates cellular hydration pg. 406 Terms Glutathione – one of the bodies major anti-oxidants. Tripeptide made up of the amino acids gamma-glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine.   We hope we've given you enough information to make your own mind up, but here's some good links to finding out more if you're interested.   For more info, go to : Glutathione :       www.microscopy.fsu.edu/aminoacids/pages/glutathione.html Taurine :              www.microscopy.fsu.edu/aminoacids/pages/taurine.html Amino acids :     www.microscopy.fsu.edu/aminoacids/index.html     References Afifi NM et al (1998) Effect of alcohol and /or cocaine on blood glutathione and the ultrastructure of the liver of pregnant CF-1 mice, Toxicol Lett, 98(1-2): 1-12 Sep 1 Co-administration of ethanol and cocaine lead to decreased glutathione levels and significant potentiation in liver toxicity. Aleynik SI et al (1999) Alcohol-induced pancreatic oxidative stress: protection by phospholipid repletion, Free Radic Biol Med, 26(5-6): 609-19 Phosphatidylcholine prevents alcohol induced oxidative stress in the pancreas and liver Braverman E (1977) The healing nutrients within, Facts, Findings and New Research on Amino Acids Davies S and Stewart A (1987) Nutritional Medicine, Pan, London Alcohol consumption results in increased need for vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, Folic acid, calcium, magnesium Mountain Bike Rider Magazine (1997), July, Health Supplement French SW(1989), Biochemical basis for alcohol-induced liver injury, Biochem, 22(1):41-9 Feb Alcohol damage caused by acetaldehyde Furst and Stehle (1995) Glutamine and Glutamine-containing dipeptides in Amino Acid Metabolism and Therapy in Health and Nutritional Disease, Cynober LA (ed) Garcia-Ruiz et.al.(1995) Feeding S-adenosyl-l-methionine attenuates both ethanol-induced depletion of mitochondrial glutathione and mitochondrial dysfunction in periportal and perivenous rat hepatocytes, Heptology 21 (1): 207-214 Methionine reduces liver damage in animals induced by alcohol or other toxic substances Grattagliano I et al (), Oxidation of circulating proteins in alcoholics: role of acetaldehyde and xanthan oxidase, J Hepatol Glutathione appears to be directly involved in the protection of plasma proteins against acetaldehyde toxicity Hsieh et al (), Magnesium supplementation prevents the development of alcohol induced hypertension, Hypertension () Importance of magnesium supplementation to prevent alcohol induced high blood pressure. Kurose I et al. (1996) Ethanol-induced oxidative stress in the liver. Alcoholism: clinical and Experimental Research 20(1): 77A-85A Leiber CS et al (1997) Polyenylphosphatidylcholine decreases alcohol-induced oxidative stress in the baboon, Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 21(2):375-9 Apr Phosphatidylcholine protects against alcohol-induced fibrosis and cirrhosis Leiber CS (1997), Ethanol metabolism, cirrhosis and alcoholism, Clin Chim Acta, 257(1): 59-84 Jan3 Protective role of methionine and phosphatidylcholine Montelone P et al (1992), Blunting by chronic phosphatidylserine administration of the stress induced activation of the hypothalamo-pituatary-adrenal axis in healthy men, Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 42(4):385-8 Phosphatidylserine can reduce stress- induced increases in cortisol Montelone P et al (1990), Effects of phosphatidyleserine on the neuroendocrine response to physical stress in humans, Neuroendocrinology, 52(3): 243-8 Sep As above Persson J () Alcohol and the small intestine, Scan J Gastroenterol Acute and chronic effects of alcohol inc. acetaldehyde, disturbed absorbtion of vitamins and minerals Potrovsky A (1977), Some biochemical aspects of chronic alcohol intoxication, Nutr Metab, 21(1-3):194-6 Acetaldehyde-damaging effect on brain + protective role of nutrition Seitz HK (1998), Gastrointestinal alcohol dehydrogenase, Nutr Rev, 56(2Pt1):52-60 Acetaldehyde =highly toxic +produced from ethanol Sprince H et al. (1975) Protective action of ascorbic acid and sulphur compounds against acetaldehyde toxicity: implications in alcoholism and smoking, Agent Actions, 5(2): 164-173 A combination of L-ascorbic acid with L-cystein gave virtually complete protection/against acetaldehyde toxicity Sprince H (1985) Protective action of sulphur compounds against aldehyde toxicants of cigarette smoke, Eur J Respir Dis Suppl, 139: 102-12 Protective effects of sulphur amino acids and synergistic effect with thiamin and ascorbic acid Suresh MV et al. (1999) Impact of massive ascorbic acid supplementation on alcohol induced oxidative stress in guinea pigs, Toxicol Lett, 104(3): 221-9 Feb 22 Vitamin C helps prevent alcohol induced oxidative stress Young VR and El-Khoury (1995) The notion of the nutritional essentiality of amino acids, revisited, with a note on the indispensible amino acid requirements in adults, from Cynober LA(ed), Amino Acid Metabolism and Therapy in Health and Nutritional Disease